CVE-2025-56232 identifies a security vulnerability in GOG Galaxy version 2.0.0.2, specifically a missing SSL certificate validation during the software's update process. This vulnerability falls under CWE-599, which relates to improper validation of SSL certificates, enabling man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks. An attacker who can control or manipulate the victim's local network, DNS responses, or proxy servers can intercept update requests made by GOG Galaxy. Because the software does not properly validate SSL certificates, the attacker can present a forged or invalid certificate and successfully intercept the connection. This allows the attacker to replace legitimate update or installer packages with malicious payloads, potentially leading to the execution of arbitrary code on the victim's machine. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.8, indicating a medium severity vulnerability. The vector string AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N shows that the attack requires local network access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), high confidentiality impact (C:H), low integrity impact (I:L), and no availability impact (A:N). No patches or fixes are currently linked, and no exploits are known in the wild, but the vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the potential for stealthy code injection via update mechanisms. The lack of SSL validation is a critical design flaw in the update process, undermining the trust model of secure software distribution.

For European organizations, the primary impact is the potential compromise of systems running GOG Galaxy 2.0.0.2, which is popular among gaming communities and some software distribution scenarios. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution, data theft, or further network compromise. Confidentiality is highly impacted as attackers can inject malicious payloads that may exfiltrate sensitive information. Integrity is moderately affected since malicious updates can alter software behavior, though availability remains unaffected. Organizations with employees or users who install or update software through GOG Galaxy are at risk, especially if they operate in environments with untrusted or poorly secured local networks, such as public Wi-Fi or corporate networks without strict segmentation. This vulnerability could also be leveraged as a foothold for broader attacks within enterprise networks if exploited. Given the medium severity and the requirement for local network access, the threat is more pronounced in environments with lax network security controls or where attackers have insider access or can manipulate DNS/proxy infrastructure.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should implement several targeted measures beyond generic advice: 1) Enforce network segmentation and restrict local network access to trusted devices only, minimizing the attack surface for MitM attacks. 2) Deploy DNS security measures such as DNSSEC validation and use trusted DNS resolvers to prevent DNS spoofing. 3) Use network monitoring tools to detect unusual update traffic patterns or unexpected certificate anomalies related to GOG Galaxy update requests. 4) Encourage or mandate the use of VPNs or encrypted tunnels when accessing untrusted networks to protect update traffic. 5) Engage with GOG Galaxy support or vendor channels to obtain patches or updates that address SSL validation issues as soon as they become available. 6) Educate users about the risks of connecting to insecure networks and the importance of verifying update sources. 7) Consider application whitelisting or endpoint protection solutions that can detect or block unauthorized code execution resulting from malicious updates. 8) If possible, temporarily restrict or monitor GOG Galaxy update functionality until a secure version is deployed.